How it Happened: Kentucky rallies late, downs Tennessee 5-3
LEXINGTON, KY — A three-run seventh inning that featured a pair of runs scoring on one three-error play told the tale for Tennessee and Kentucky Friday night as the Wildcats rallied to down the Vols 4-3 in game one of the three-game Southeastern Conference series.
The No. 4 Vols (31-7, 10-6 SEC) managed only five hits in the ballgame while the No. 3 Wildcats (32-5, 15-1 SEC) registered seven hits in the low-scoring affair.
Hunter Ensley put Tennessee on the board in the second with a two-run homer before Christian Moore registered an RBI single n the fifth for a run of insurance at the time. Kentucky plated a run in the third on a solo shot from Ryan Waldschmidt and then three in the decisive seventh inning. An insurance home run followed in the bottom of the eighth.
AJ Causey (6-3) is charged with the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) in 6.1 innings of work out of the Tennessee bullpen. Travis Smith (3-2) is the inner on the night after tossing two innings of scoreless baseball out of the arm barn for the home team.
Game 2 of the top-four showdown between Tennessee and Kentucky is set for Saturday at 2 pm eastern time. But first, here’s how it all went down for the Vols in game one on a Friday night.
Postgame Video
Scoring Summary
Top 2: Hunter Ensley tallied a two-run home run to right-centerfield. Vols 2-0
Big fly from Hunter and we've got the early lead!
— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) April 19, 2024
📺 https://t.co/cFf5myWm1c (SECN+) #GBO // #OTH // #BeatUK pic.twitter.com/X1rGned3eW
Bot 3: Ryan Waldschmidt lined drive a home run to left field. Vols 2-1
Top 5: Christian Moore singled in Cal Stark on a base hit to left field. Vols 3-1
Bot 7: Ryan Waldschmidt grounds out to first base with the bases loaded, runner scored. Vols 3-2
Bot 7: Emilien Pitre reached on an error at third and two runs scored. KY 4-3
ANY. MEANS. NECESSARY. CATS. LEAD.
— Kentucky Baseball (@UKBaseball) April 20, 2024
💻https://t.co/fyantJoSx7 (SECN+)#WeAreUK | @emilien_pitre pic.twitter.com/y1Ohl3qyNy
Bot 8: Nolan McCarthy solo home run to left field. KY 5-3
The Final Stats
Tennessee Weekly Schedule
Tuesday: Tennessee 20, Bellarmine 5 | Final Stats | How it Happened | Four Takes | Tony Vitello
Friday: Kentucky 5, Tennessee 3 | Final Stats
Saturday: No. 4 Tennessee at No. 3 Kentucky | 2 pm ET | SEC Network+
Sunday: No. 4 Tennessee at No. 3 Kentucky | 1 pm ET | SEC Network+
Vols in the National Polls this week
NCBWA – No. 2
USA Today – No. 3
Baseball America – No. 3
Perfect Game – No. 3
D1 Baseball – No. 4
